Volume 82, Issue 3 \Neb Edition
clarion.brevard.edu
SERVING BREVARD COLLEGE SINCE 1935
Look for the trail
review on page 7!
September 14, 2016
View of the Turf Field from Kings Creek Residence Hall.
Turf Field to soon
reach completion
By Alex Perri
staff Writer
“It’s lit!” was the first response of sophomore
soccer player Megan Shina when asked about
the new turf field being installed on campus. And
she wasn’t just referring to the lights staged to
illuminate the field, allowing night contests for
the first time in BC athletics history.
The turf field which is set to be finished
Thursday will host five sports teams for the BC
athletics department. Mens and Womens soccer,
Mens and Womens lacrosse, and softball will all
hold their competitions on the new field.
According to Brevard College Athletics Direc
tor, Juan Mascara, the turf field provides a solu
tion to many problems in the most cost effective
way possible. “We had two fields that were not
at par for a collegiate program, so we needed to
find a way to bring them up to par. The best way
to do that was to have a turf field that can host
five different sports.”
Prior to the field’s installation the two natural
grass practice fields for the lacrosse and soccer
programs were chronically flooded due to the
geography and weather of Transylvania County.
By the end of the fall sports season, the soccer
field adjacent to the gymnasium and the Village
residence halls resembled a mud pit, with more
brown spots than green. “It’s always raining
here” said one Brevard soccer player. “If we
waited for the field conditions to dry out then
we would never be able to use the field. What
happens when you play on soft grass though, is
eventually it gets trampled into mud.”
The lacrosse field was even worse when it
came to flooding. At certain points in the season,
the lacrosse teams could be seen bailing buckets
of water off of the grass to allow for field condi
tions to improve.
For the softball team, a turf field is an interest
ing move, but one that Mascaro says may be the
future for the sport at the collegiate level. “It’s a
new thing. Anderson just did their field on turf
At Liberty [University] I saw a couple baseball
and softball fields there on turf, too. It’s easier
to upkeep” The current softball field will remain
as the practice field for the Tornados.
Junior softball player Paige Atkinson said,
“Our team is very excited about the turf, and
ready to see how the field plays. I personally
have played on turf for years and love it, so
knowing we have it is very exciting for us...and
it is closer to the main part of campus so hope
fully we have more fans that can come out and
support Brevard softball this year.”
According to Mascaro all athletic competitions
at the turf field will remain free of charge, and
like Atkinson he believes that the new facility
will increase game attendance.
The first game set to take place on the turf field
will be Saturday Sept. 17 when the Mens and
Womens soccer teams take on Coker College at
2pm and 4:30pm respectively.